Rio 2016 Olympics: Featured Articles

On Thursday, Chang Hye-jin defeated Germany’s Lisa Unruh by a score of 6-2 (27-26 26-28 27-26 29-27) in the women’s individual final in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Sambodromo. Chang Hye-jin became the first double gold medalist for South Korea in Rio, winning the individual gold after securing the gold medal in the women’s archery team competition. Ki Bo-bae captured bronze after overcoming Mexican archer Alejandra Valencia with a set score of 6-4 (26-25, 28-29, 26-25, 21-27, 30-25) in the semifinals. South Korea’s women’s archery team have proven once again to be the world’s best at the Rio Olympics, taking gold and bronze in the individual event after winning gold in the women’s team event.

The archery skills of South Korean athletes are honed through rigorous training. One of the more well-known training regimens is where the athletes train in a baseball stadium. The ability to concentrate at the Olympics stage, where a large crowd of people is cheering enthusiastically, has a great influence on an athlete’s performance. In order to improve the team’s ability to adjust to the lights and noises of the audience, the Korean archery team practiced before the Rio Olympics in the Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome on August 3, while a professional baseball game was being held. The Korean archery team usually trains in outdoor ballparks, but for this special training they trained at the Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, which is unaffected by the weather. As such, the indoor condition of the Gocheok Sky Dome was very similar to that of an actual Olympics match. Ki Bo-bae said her training to adjust to noise at the Gocheok Sky Dome was helpful in allowing her to shoot steadily and relaxed at the actual Olympics match.

The gold medals, won in the women’s team event and women’s individual event, after the men’s team event, are welcoming news, helping the Korean public forget about the hot summer heat.